Donald Holmquest

Holmquest was born on April 7, 1939, in Dallas, Texas.[1] He attended Roger Q. Mills Elementary School, and is a 1957 graduate of W. H. Adamson High School in Dallas. He received a B.S. in electrical engineering from Southern Methodist University with highest honors in 1962.[2] Subsequently, he earned a M.D. and a Ph.D in physiology from Baylor College of Medicine in 1967 and 1968, respectively.

He married Charlotte Ann (née Blaha).[3]

After receiving his medical doctorate and a doctorate in physiology from Baylor College of Medicine, and completing his internship in internal medicine at Houston Methodist Hospital, Holmquest was selected as a scientist-astronaut by NASA in August 1967.[4] Following initial academic training and a 53-week course in flight training at Williams Air Force Base, Arizona, where he earned Air Force wings, he worked on Skylab habitability systems and medical experiments for ​1 ¹⁄₂ years (1969–1971).

Holmquest was not assigned to a Skylab prime or backup crew. In May 1971, he was granted a one-year leave of absence from NASA. In Baylor's Department of Radiology, Holmquest was assigned as an assistant professor of radiology and physiology and associate director of nuclear medicine.[5] His leave of absence was extended to September 1973, and he completed training in nuclear medicine at Baylor. When it became clear that he would not be assigned to any Skylab mission after Skylab B was scrapped, he formally resigned from the Astronaut Corps in September 1973.

As an astronaut, he logged 750 hours flying time in jet aircraft.[1]

Following his resignation from NASA, Holmquest assumed the role of chief of nuclear medicine at Ben Taub General Hospital in Houston. He is also a diplomate of the American Board of Nuclear Medicine. He established the Department of Nuclear Medicine at Eisenhower Medical Center in Rancho Mirage, California, and then took the post of associate dean of medicine at Texas A&M University, where he was instrumental in developing A&M's new College of Medicine.

Thereafter, Holmquest entered the University of Houston Law Center. While pursuing his legal education, he maintained his practice in medicine. Holmquest received his J.D. cum laude from the University of Houston in 1988. After serving as a senior partner at Wood, Lucksinger & Epstein until its dissolution, he established the firm of Holmquest & Associates, dedicated to the health care industry. He now practices medicine and law on a full-time basis. He resides in Menlo Park, California.